Autumn Color Report: Kyoto

Scott's Japan Travel Journalby Scott, staff writer of japan-guide.com

This journal is a log of my travels within Japan. Here you'll find my personal opinions on the places I've been and the things I've seen. Also expect to see the occasional review and editorial. Thanks for reading.

My first stop this morning was Arashiyama, where I paid a visit to Tenryuji. The temple buildings are under construction, but the garden is open as usual and the work has absolutely no effect on it. Sean stopped by the temple last week when the colors were right at their peak, but even though they have declined a bit since then, the colors are still very nice and at that point where the trees are still pretty full but with a nice carpet of leaves on the ground to mirror the foliage above.

Tenryuji

Leaves and moss

Tenryuji's pond from the other direction

Maples on the hill behind the pond

Maples and bamboo at Tenryuji

Maple leaves and bamboo

From Tenryuji you can take a nice walk through the bamboo groves to Jojakkoji, one of Arashiyama's smaller temples, that is known for its beautiful maples. The last japan-guide team member to visit the temple was Schauwecker who stopped by Jojakkoji over two weeks ago when all of the leaves were still very, very green. Since then the trees have improved to become some of the best I've seen all year. Better yet, they were just at that point toward the end of the peak where a few strong gusts of wind came through and sparked some swirling leaf blizzards.

Leaf blizzard at Jojakkoji

Maple leaves on moss

Maple tree at Jojakkoji

The path down from the temple

A small water basin at Jojakkoji

Finally there were the colors around the Togetsukyo Bridge which were right around the peak today, especially the colorful trees up on the mountain behind the bridge.

Togetsukyo Bridge

Next I took the charming little Randen trains to Kitanohakubaicho Station from where it is just a few minutes walk to Kitano Tenmangu. The temple's maple tree garden (Momiji-an) has continued to improve since Sean's visit and the colors are still at their best. The garden will be open through mid December and the colors should stay nice for another few days at least.

Kitano Tenmangu

At the base of the garden's huge zelkovia tree (keyaki)

Down along the canal

Brilliant leaves frame the orange bridge

Like a stained glass window

From Kitano Tenmangu it is about a 20 minute walk to Kinkakuji. The golden pavilion isn't really known for spectacular koyo; however, I was pleasantly surprised by the colors that you could see around the grounds. There were a few really nicely placed trees around the pavilion that were still a little colorful but also a little past their prime. They were probably at their best last week. There was also some colorful foliage up on the hill behind the pavilion and outside the paid area along the approach to the temple that was still around their best.

Kinkakuji

Approach to Kinkakuji

The Golden pavilion

Behind the pavilion

Approach to the temple

Rest area behind the pavilion

My next stop was to Kotoin, a subtemple found in the large temple complex of Daitokuji. Kotoin is probably one of my favorite Kyoto koyo spots, and one of the most tranquil places to take in the scenery (well, only if you're lucky enough to see it without the crowds). I think of it as a sort of a koyo version of Ryoanji except with maples and moss instead of stone and gravel.

Entrance to Kotoin

Kotoin's tranquil moss garden

Another of Kotoin's gardens

Yellow maples

The temple's famous water basin

Finally, I made the crosstown trek down to Tofukuji way down in the southeast part of the city. Tofukuji is really one of the koyo gems of Kyoto and didn't disappoint today. That's even despite the fact that the main views were past their prime with too many brown leaves or bare branches to ignore. While the wide views around the temple were a little borderline, the saving grace of today's visit was the yellow and orange maples in the grove up around the garden entrance. The foliage up there was absolutely stunning.

Tsutenkyo Bridge

The outer walls of the temple

View from Tsutenkyo Bridge

And in the other direction

Tsutenkyo Bridge

From below the bridge

The canal that runs below the bridge

Maple and Onigawara

Brilliant yellow and orange maple trees near the entrance to the bridge